Rise Above This
by RobertDowneyJrLove
Summary: Melissa loses her brother.


Melissa's brother, Tyler, is killed.

_1:00 A.M._

A light knock on her door forced Melissa Wu to open her eyes with a groan. She rolled over and slowly sat up before reaching over to turn on her lamp as her parents entered the room. It was obvious they were both shaken and her mother had been crying pretty hard. She wondered what was going on.

"Mom? Dad? What's wrong?" Melissa asked them sleepily, blinking to rid her eyes of the remaining sleepiness.

"It's about Tyler, honey." Sandy told her daughter as she sat down on the bed.

"What happened?" Melissa asked them softly, panic setting in when they refused to answer her. "Where's Tyler?"

"Avi," Richard started, calling her by part of her middle name. "Tyler's been killed, Sweetheart."

"What do you mean killed? What happened?" Melissa asked them, her eyes burning with tears.

"He was on his way home from the fraternity party when another car pulled out in front of him before he could stop. They were involved in a head-on collision, he was killed on impact." Sandy explained softly, tears leaking out of her eyes.

Melissa squeezed her eyes shut as she shook her head, "No, no, it isn't true! He's not dead!"

"I'm sorry, honey." Sandy whispered.

"GET OUT!" Melissa screamed as she jumped out of the bed, "Get out, get out!"

"Melissa, please!" Sandy pleaded with her daughter.

"No, get out!" Melissa yelled as she opened the door, "Out!"

They watched helplessly as Melissa fell to her knees, sobbing into her hands as she tried to come to terms with her brother's death. They wanted to help her but they both knew they couldn't, she had to work this out on her own.

Richard looked down at his wife and shook his head, "Honey, we've got to let her work this out for herself. We can't help her."

Sandy nodded and let her husband lead her out of the room and down the stairs. She made her way to the phone and wiped the tears away before dialing a number.

"'Lo?" A husky, sleepy voice greeted softly.

"Jackson, you need to come over." Sandy told him tearily, "Melissa really needs you right now."

"What happened?" Jackson asked her as he sat up in his bed.

"Her brother was killed in a car accident about twenty minutes ago. She took it pretty hard." Sandy explained, "She won't let us come near her, you may be the only one she'll talk to."

"Alright, I'm on my way, give me fifteen minutes." Jackson told them already pulling a pair of jeans on. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"See you then." Sandy whispered as she hung up the phone.

Jackson pulled a t-shirt over his head, shoved his wallet and cell phone into his pockets and shoved his feet into a pair of converse sneakers. He raced downstairs where his Dad was watching a movie and raced into the living room.

"I've got to go to Melissa's." Jackson told him breathlessly, "Her brother was killed in a car accident, she won't let anyone come near her."

"I'll drive you, you drive now you'll end up dead." Johnny told his son, as he stood up, turned the movie off and grabbed his car keys. "Melissa would kill herself if that happened."

Jackson nodded and followed his dad to the car. He gritted his teeth impatiently as they drove to Melissa's house. Johnny had never seen his son on edge like he was now as he waited impatiently to get to his best friend. Melissa meant the world to Jackson and his love for her was fierce, intense and tender. Johnny had never really witnessed anything that was particularly fierce, intense or tender as he usually witnessed the lighter, more playful side of the two.

xxxx

The orange glow of lights shining through the windows of her house made Jackson's stomach tie in knots as his dad pulled up to the house and parked the car. He knew that Melissa could be rather difficult when it came to dealing with grief or any other emotion that wore her down to nothing. She usually locked herself in her room and screamed it out until her throat hurt to much for her to talk for a couple of days. He had known of her to scream for upwards of an hour just because she was angry. It wasn't the screams of a toddler, but more of her way of venting whatever emotion she felt. She had told him once that it was the only way she could vent and not feel like ridiculous for feeling the way she did.

"Did her mom say what she was doing?" Johnny asked as they got out of the car and made their way to the house.

"She said that she was just angry and wouldn't let anyone touch her. Usually she'll scream it out, fall asleep and be done with it, but we're dealing with the death of her brother so this time's going to be a little different." Jackson told him as he pressed the doorbell. "I've known of her to scream herself hoarse."

When Richard opened the door, both Johnny and Jackson could tell that he was tired and at his wit's end with one-if not both of them. Jackson looked at his Dad before heading upstairs to his best friend. He didn't care that they both followed him. The heart-wrenching sobs of his best friend let him know that it had hit her harder than her mom had let on and she wasn't going to be easy to deal with. He opened the door and walked into her purple and teal bedroom. He kneeled down in front of her and gently pulled her hands away from her face.

"Sweetheart," Jackson whispered, using two fingers to make her look at him, "Look at me, baby girl."

The immense sadness mixed with grief, anger and regret darkened her eyes and the whites of her eyes had been reddened by the hot, saltiness of tears. Her skin was red and blotchy, the skin under her eyes was swollen and red and she was shuddering with every breath. It was times like this that made him wish he could take her pain away, but he knew all he could do was hold her and hope that it comforted her a little.

"C'mere, baby." He whispered reaching for her. She fell into his arms easily as he picked her up and cradled her against his chest as she sobbed into his chest. He was warm, comfortable and he didn't try and throw some insincere apology at her-something she didn't want or need and something that wouldn't bring her brother back.

He didn't tell her that it was okay or that it would be okay because he knew that it wasn't okay and it would be a while before it was. He hated making empty promises to Melissa because he knew inevitably, he'd break them. He knew that promising her something that might not be true was useless and he knew that holding her was all he could do. He knew how she would deal with this and it'd be a bridge to cross when they got to it but for now, he simply held her because that's what she needed.

"She wouldn't let us near her, she even kicked us out but with him, it's different." Richard told Johnny, "It's always been different with him."

"He's honest. He doesn't make promises he can't keep and he doesn't try to make things better when he knows that he can't. He just gives her what she needs, without trying to make everything okay when it's not." Johnny told him, his eyes on the couple in the room.

Soft murmuring, sobbing and whimpers filled the room. The lamp by Melissa's bed was the only light in the room, casting a golden glow over the entire bedroom. Although the position they were in wasn't exactly comfortable, Jackson made no move to get up until he was positive Melissa was calmed down.

"How the hell'd we wind up like this? Why weren't we able, to see the signs that we missed and try turning the tables?" He sang into her ear, "I wish you'd unclench your fists and unpack your suitcase, lately there's been to much of this, but don't think it's to late, nothing's wrong just as long as you know that...someday I will. Someday, somehow, gonna make it alright, but not right now. I know you're wondering when..."

His voice was barely audible to anyone but Melissa and the rough, husky edge was soothing to the sobbing girl in his arms. He knew that the song would help Melissa in a way that broken promises and empty words couldn't. He had found that singing to her always got a reaction out of her better than words ever could.

"Go take care of your wife, I'll help these two." Johnny told Richard, "I've got it."

Richard nodded and left the room while Johnny settled in to help his son get Melissa through a long night.

xxx

_7:00 A.M. _

Sunlight streamed through the window, the golden light glowing behind his eye-lids. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around. Melissa was on the floor beside him, her face buried in his t-shirt. A blanket was thrown over both of them and the more he moved, the more his shoulders and back strained.

"Jackson," Johnny whispered as he walked into the room, "Let's go and get breakfast before they get up."

Jackson nodded and carefully stood up before picking Melissa up and gently tucking her into bed. He kissed her forehead before walking out of the room and out to the car with his Dad. As they started the drive to the restaurant, Johnny watched his son.

"Melissa...she didn't just scream it out this time, did she?" Johnny asked him quietly.

"Not this time." Jackson shook his head, his blue eyes focused on the passing scenery. "She's pretty shaken. Most people don't know that despite the outside perception of their relationship, Tyler and Melissa were actually close."

"You're afraid of something?" Johnny told him softly, "What is it, son?"

"I'm afraid that Tyler's death might push her to try to kill herself." Jackson told him softly, "Melissa can only take so much before she breaks...she won't be able to just grieve over Tyler and then be fine...she'll try something."

"What do you think she'd do?" Johnny asked him quietly.

"Knowing Melissa, she'd try the quickest escape. Cutting her wrists. It's quick and effective." Jackson told him, tapping his fingers on the armrest on the door. "She'll try anything if she's desperate enough."

_"...Been far away for far too long..." _

Jackson grabbed his cell phone off of the dash and answered it, "Hello?"

"Something's wrong..Melissa was screaming and then it just stopped. I think you'd better come back." Richard told him, "Something happened."

"We'll be there in ten." Jackson sighed as he ended the call. "Dad, turn around, she tried something."

The u-turn was dangerous and illegal but necessary as Johnny turned the car around, pressed down on the gas pedal and sped down the street, back to Melissa's house to save her. He barely had time to shove the car in Park before Jackson was tearing out of it and back into the house. He quickly followed after turning the engine off and ripping the keys from the ignition.

"Melissa?" Jackson yelled as he raced up the stairs. He flung her bedroom door open and found her sitting against the foot of her bed, her head in her hands. "Baby?"

She reached for him out of instinct. He slipped an arm around her shoulder and one under her knees, hoisting her up against his chest. The petite Asian weighed next to nothing so it was rather easy to carry her down the stairs.

"She didn't try anything." Jackson shook his head, looking down at the petite girl cradled against him. "She's just tired. And sad. More than anything else."

"The station just called, they need me to identify the body." Richard told them sadly, "I'm not taking Sandy with me, she's not-"

"Go, I'll take care of Sandy." Johnny nodded, ushering him out.

xxx

"Sandy?"

"Go away!"

"Sandy, it's Johnny, let me in!"

"No!"

Lowering his voice to a soft timbre that bordered on being tender, Johnny tried again. "Sandy, listen to me, whatever you're going in there, isn't doing your daughter or your husband or you any good."

"I don't care!" Sandy screamed again, "Please just go away, Johnny."

"I can't do that, Sandy." Johnny told her, knocking on the door for the tenth time in as many minutes. "I think you know that!"

He heard a soft sigh before the lock clicked as the tumbler fell into place and the door opened revealing a teary Sandy. She held up a bottle of sleeping pills. A drug she had been on since college, something Johnny was all to aware of since he had known her most of her life. He grabbed the bottle of pills and tossed it in the trash can behind her.

"Sandra Evelyn!" Johnny scolded gently, "You know better!"

"I can't help it!"

"Yes you can, Sandra, you just won't try!" Johnny told her exasperatedly, "I've known you since we were twenty years old in college together, you were my wife's best friend. You're like my little sister. I know you, when you want to, you can do anything, you just won't try because you never think it's worth it."

"What am I supposed to Johnny? I just lost my son." Sandy told him, tears leaking out of her eyes.

"But you've still got a daughter, who hasn't resorted to trying to kill herself, and I think she'd prefer it if her mother didn't either." Johnny reminded her sternly, "It would help a lot if her mother were in the land of the living-with all of us other living, breathing human beings who haven't taken half a bottle of sleeping pills because we're grieving."

Sandy nodded, knowing that he was right. He was harsh but Johnny Christopher Jackson was always right. She had been twenty when she met Johnny and Cindy, two college kids who had gotten married freshman year and ever since then, they had been friends but Sandy had been the one to help Johnny through Cindy's death after Jackson was born. It was a little known fact that Jackson was never supposed to end up in state custody but Cindy's parents refused to believe he was a suitable parent and signed custody of their grandson over to the state insteady of Johnny.

"Go downstairs, check on your daughter and give your husband a chance to help you." Johnny told her, "He had to go to the police station but he'll be back in a little while, when he gets here, you have to let him help you."

Sandy nodded and let him lead her down the stairs. Quiet singing greeted them as they made their way into the living room. Melissa was curled up on the couch with Jackson beside her, singing as he rubbed her back.

"...Call your name everyday, when I feel so helpless, I've fallen down but I'll rise above this.."

Melissa's sobs died down into soft whimpers as her eyes slid closed and the sleep she had been trying so hard to fight won the battle. Her eyes closed and her breathing even out, shaky though it may have been. He brushed her hair from her face and sighed at the sight of the sad girl.

"I'm back," Richard called, walking into the living room. "I identified the body."

"And?" Sandy mumbled although she wasn't sure if she wanted know.

"It's Tyler."

xxxx

Three Days Later...

"Jackson, could help me with the zipper?"

Melissa pulled her hair out of the way and turned so that Jackson could zip up her black dress. Jackson nodded and reached for the zipper, tugging it up until it clicked into place at the base of her neck. She let her hair go and turned around. The black dress was beautiful despite the occasion that it was being used for. The soft black dress with a lace bodice fit Melissa well and she looked good. He grabbed her black blazer from the bed and helped her into it.

"I-" Melissa muttered, fumbling with the buttons. "I-I can't do it."

She turned around, feeling completely helpless as she let Jackson button it. He carefully slid the buttons through the holes and then fixed her collar before leaning down and kissing her tenderly. Tears stung her eyes as she pulled him closer, whimpering slightly as she opened her mouth, begging him to deepen it. She was grieving and in need of comfort in whatever form she could get it.

"No," He shook his head pulling away from her. "No, I won't take advantage of you."

She nodded in understanding as he helped her fix her jacket and she carefully buttoned his suit jacket. The funeral had taken Melissa's parents two days to plan and one day was solely breaking through the red tape to get Tyler's body released to them.

She quietly fixed the lapels on his charcoal gray suit jacket and resisted the urge to bury her face in the soft cotton. The dark charcoal gray suit and black dress shirt was sharp yet funeral appropriate. The tie was a very dark green, bordering on black. Every man that would be attending the funeral was asked to wear a green tie because of Tyler's favorite color being green.

"I think we're ready." Jackson whispered as he gently pulled her hands away from his tie. "It's okay, Mel."

She nodded, looking down as she walked away from him to grab her purse and keys. Jackson knew better than to let her drive when she was like this and there was no way he was letting her get behind the wheel of a car. Grabbing his own keys, he walked over to her and slipped her keys from her hand.

"No, we'll take my car." Jackson told her, "You're in no shape to drive and your parents are waiting for us to get there."

Melissa nodded numbly as she walked down the stairs of her house on shaky, unstable legs. Her entire body felt numb and walking was quickly becoming an impossible feat for her to accomplish. She wiped the tears from her eyes as he helped her out to his car. He opened the door to the passenger side and helped her in. She didn't speak the whole ride to the church where the service would be held.

"Don't leave me, I don't think I can handle everyone on my own." Melissa begged, wrapping her arm around his.

"I'll be right here." Jackson whispered as they walked through the church doors.

Almost immediately Melissa was hit by her aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. Jackson pulled her back slightly, shaking his head at her family, "Sorry, she's not up to it right now."

They backed off and let Jackson lead Melissa through the crowd, to the sanctuary. He led her to a pew closest to the front of the church and motioned for her to sit down. He sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her, letting her lean her head on his shoulder. They sat there in silence until the service started.

"Morning Everybody," The Reverend started mournfully, "We are here today to mourn the passing of Tyler Evan Wu, who was sadly killed in a car crash Monday night."

Melissa closed her eyes as the service continued with everybody standing up to sing. After singing several of Tyler's favorite songs, the service continued. A little while later, Melissa headed toward the podium with Jackson behind her.

"Tyler was-" Melissa took a deep breath, "Tyler was my big brother. As with any brother, we had our differences and fights but none of them ever came between us. Tyler was the kind of guy who went to fraternity parties one night but still managed to get up and ace a test or write a huge paper the next day. He was never anything other than a big brother or a best friend." Her breathing deepened as she struggled to continue without crying. "Tyler was-he was my best friend, I've only ever had another best friend like him and he's standing behind me. Ty..Tyler was a lot of things...he was s-s-son, a f-friend, cousin, nephew, grandson and boyfriend but to me...Tyler Evan Wu will always be my brother."

She lowered her head as she turned to Jackson and collapsed in his arms. He helped her get back to their seat and sat down with her, holding her in his arms as the service came to a conclusion and everybody filed out for the burial.

xxx

_Tyler Evan Wu_

_October 4th, 1992 to March 14th, 2011_

_Son, Friend, and beloved brother to his baby sister. _

_Fly with the Angels, Tyler. _

The tears leaked out of her eyes as she read the headstone that marked her big brother's burial site. The burial had long since been over but Melissa couldn't leave. Jackson had stayed with her, not willing to leave his best friend for fear that she would do something stupid and reckless.

"Mel," Jackson whispered as he wrapped his arms around her, "Let's go home. You need rest."

He gently picked her up, mindful of her dress and carried her to the car. After a trick balancing act and Melissa nearly landing on the ground, he managed to get her in the front seat and get her buckled in. Her eyes were blank and her expression was completely emotionless. He wasn't expecting to meet her gaze as he got in the car.

"It gets better right?" Melissa questioned sadly.

"I don't know, baby." Jackson shook his head, "I truly don't know."

And he didn't know. He wasn't going to promise her that it got better because he didn't know. He'd try everything possible to make it better but it would never get easier or better because she'd always miss Tyler, and would always grieve over him.

"I don't know what to do, Jackson." Melissa whispered, turning her blank gaze to the multitude of trees that blurred together as he drove down the street.

_"Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now..." _

Melissa closed her eyes, tears clinging to her eyes as the opening lines of her brother's favorite song drifted through the speakers. She really did need a wish right now, but it wasn't night and there were no airplanes or shooting stars. Jackson quickly changed the station until he found one that they both liked.

"I don't know either, Sweetheart." Jackson whispered as he drove her home.

He didn't know and he knew that pretending that he did wouldn't help Melissa any. It wasn't going to bring her brother back and playing mind games like that was dangerous with Melissa. Convincing her that he knew when he didn't would play with her emotions and the last thing he wanted was for Melissa to try something that she would regret later.

_"I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house, that don't bother me. I can take a few tears now and then and just 'em out. I'm not afraid to cry every once and while even though going on with you gone still upsets me..." _

Jackson looked over at Melissa as she tried desperately not to cry in front of him. He pulled over and looked over Melissa, "It's okay to cry over your brother, Sweetheart."

That broke her. The dam broke, tears flooding out of her eyes in hot, salty cascades of grief and sorrow over the loss of her brother. He reached over and unbuckled her seatbelt before gently tugging her over to him. Even though the car had them in an awkward position, she still managed to find that familiar place in his neck.

_"...What hurts the most is being so close and having so much to say and watching you walk away! And never knowing, what could have been and not seeing that loving you is what I was trying to do.." _

"I miss him." Melissa sobbed into his neck.

"I know, baby, I know." Jackson whispered as he kissed her head.

When he finally managed to get them home twenty minutes later, Melissa had returned to the blank, emotionless shadow of a girl she had been earlier. As he walked into the house, a teary-eyed, sad Melissa behind him, Jackson wondered if she would ever get through it.

xxx

"She's asleep," Jackson told Sandy and Richard later that night as he walked down the steps. "She should be okay but I make no promises."

"I don't what we would have done with her without you." Sandy smiled, "Thank you, Jackson."

"She's my best friend-and I know what losing someone is like. I lost my mom before I ever really knew her." Jackson shrugged, "I'm sorry about Tyler."

"We'll be okay, we'll get through it." Sandy told him softly.

"I'm sure you will." Jackson nodded as he started to the door, "Goodnight."

"Night."

As he walked out of the house, he couldn't say for sure what the future held for his girlfriend but he did know one thing. Without her brother, she had a long, hard road of pain ahead of her and rising above something that was so easy to drown it was going to take a lot of strength-something he wasn't sure she had.

xxxxxx

**Whew! Done! This story took me a while to write because stories like this, you really have to draw from personal experience and that's not something I have. I've lost uncles but never someone as close as a sibling. Both my mom and my grandmother (Her mother) have experienced the loss of a brother but I have a sister so experiencing the loss of a brother is not something I'm familiar with. **

**Songs Used:**

**Someday by Nickelback **

**Rise Above This by Seether**

**Far Away by Nickelback (Jackson's ringtone) **

**Airplanes by B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams **

**What Hurts the Most by Cascada or Rascal Flatts, depends on which one you like best. **

**Anyway, hope you like :) **

**Love ya, **

**RobertDowneyJrLove**


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